Support UK comics!

There's often a bit of negativity on the 'net about the British comics industry and how things were so much better in the old days. Well, the same could be said about the UK film industry, or its television output, or its music, or car industries.... You get the point. Yes, lots of things were more popular and plentiful years ago but that's no excuse to ignore what's happening now. We live in the present, not the past, so let's celebrate what we have, not run it down or dismiss it. Being snarky about comics does no one any good. You're not keen on some modern comics? Okay, then focus on the current ones you do like and tell people about those, to do something to support the industry. (Same applies to fans of US comics by the way.) 

Truth is, there's still a lot of good comics material being produced in Britain, from mainstream and independent publishers as I covered here a few weeks ago. The evidence is out there but that doesn't seem to stop the moaning minnies claiming otherwise. I can appreciate that people have a preference for the comics of their youth. We all feel that, but time moves on, and there's no more likelihood of something like Valiant returning than there is of Ally Sloper's Half Holiday making a comeback. The future of British comics is in the hands of existing professionals and fresh new talent. 

Anyway, I for one am pleased that British comics are still around, which leads me to a cheeky plug for the latest issue of Toxic magazine, out today. Yes, it's a magazine, but it does feature some comic strips, including my regular two pages of Team Toxic. This issue they go underground to discover the Troll Town and encounter a giant robot ant (see image above). This is what I've always loved about my 32 years in British comics; the pure daftness of what we can put into our stories. Long may it continue! 

Toxic magazine is published by Egmont and is available in newsagents and supermarkets. 

Bog-Man! A new hero for our times

The latest issue of Egmont's Toxic, out now, features something a bit different from me; a story within a story. In the Team Toxic strip Stinky Hero, Bog is knocked out and dreams of being a superhero, - Bog-Man! 

Superheroes are very popular with kids these days thanks to blockbuster movies and games (and comics of course) so I thought I'd reflect that with this Batman parody. As this is Toxic you can expect lavatorial humour of course, particularly with Bog-Man and his sidekick Trumpy riding their Bog-Mobile! (Some of you may notice a certain old character of mine making a cameo appearance here too. Yes, it was inevitable that Tom Thug would become a white van man!)

See billionaire Bog Strain become Bog-Man to fight The Stinker, The Poopin, and Cat-Litter Woman! 

The two page strip appears in Toxic No.251, out today, which also includes various features for kids on superhero movies and games plus Russ Carvell's Captain Gross strip. All bagged up with a bunch of gifts for just £2.99. 

http://www.toxicmag.co.uk/

TOXIC 250!

Today sees the publication of the 250th issue of Egmont's Toxic magazine. That's quite an achievement these days for a children's publication. In fact it's pretty good for any era, considering how some comics of the 1970s only lasted for six months or so.

Launched in September 2002, Toxic set out to be a magazine filled with the sort of things that would appeal to boys of a 7 to 11 age group; bright and breezy features on new games, movies, sport, toys, etc. and a cheeky edge of 'gross' humour. It soon proved to be a success and has inspired several rival publications to follow its approach.

I've been writing the Team Toxic comic strip in the magazine since issue 1, and also drawing it since issue 14. (You can read more about the strip's origins here.) The five team members (Doc Shock, Kid Zombie, Sludge, Krunk, and Bog) were co-created by the mag's first editor Matt Yeo and artist John Rushby. Over the years the Team have faced numerous bad guys I've created such as Butt-Face, Frankendrac, Sick Squid, and Sand-Witch. 

Issue 250 sees the Team accused of attacking the Mayor, and the return of one of their oldest enemies. 

Although the majority of Toxic's 40 plus pages are feature-based, there have been various other comic strips in the mag over the last 13 years, including work by John Short and Laura Howell. Currently, Captain Gross by Russ Carvell is enjoying a long run. 

Toxic No.250 is out now, bagged with a variety of gifts for £3.99. Available from major retailers and newsagents. 
http://www.toxicmag.co.uk/

The first TOXIC Annual!

Although Egmont have been publishing Toxic magazine since 2002 the popular title has never had an annual devoted to it... until now. Toxic Annual 2015 has just been released so here's a brief preview of the contents.

I've been writing the Team Toxic strip since issue No.1 of Toxic, and drawing it since issue 14 or 15 so I was pleased to be asked to contribute a double length TT story for the annual. Double Trouble sees the return of one of the Team's long established bad guys, Techno Troll, who creates a Bogeyman out of discarded bogies. Can Team Toxic stop it from destroying the city? Probably, but then another enemy turns up!

There's also a double helping of Captain Gross strips by Russ Carvell, featuring the stinkiest superhero this side of Red Sonja...

Towards the back of the book there's a reprint of a Team Toxic strip I did a few years ago, - Stinky End! The Team have retired to a village of piped blazers and straw boaters... or have they? Fans of The Prisoner classic TV series might like a few of the touches in this. 

The majority of the annual is comprised of short snappy features and puzzles, mostly related to popular brands for children such as Skylanders, Pokémon, Lego, Super Mario and suchlike. The brief editorial at the front of the book tells us they've "gathered the best moments" from the magazine so I think most of the features are reprints. 

The book is very slim at 72 pages including covers, but 10 of those pages are comic strips so hopefully it'll appeal to some readers of this blog. The target age group for the annual is 5 plus, and I think it'd certainly be a very entertaining book for children of all ages. 

Toxic Annual 2015. Hardback, 72 pages. RRP £7.99. Published by Egmont. Available from booksellers and online. 
ISBN 978-1-4052-7211-7

The TOXIC ANNUAL is coming!

After 12 years of continuous publication, Toxic magazine finally gets its own annual this summer! Toxic Annual 2015 is scheduled for publication on July 31st 2014, with 72 pages for a R.R.P. of £7.99. 

(UPDATE 7/5/14: A revised version of the cover has been uploaded to Amazon):

I've known about this for a while but I kept quiet until the publishers Egmont made it public. Now that the book is advertised on Amazon, I guess it's ok to mention it. I've written/drawn a brand new 4 page Team Toxic strip for the book, with the Team encountering two of their regular bad guys plus a giant snot monster! 

It's unusual for a modern comic/mag to take so long to have an annual spin off book, but I would imagine the healthy sales of the magazine over the last few years have encouraged Egmont to try it. Toxic has been around since 2002, so it's become a recognised title in its own right now. 

By the way, although the logo on the cover above looks unusually pale, it'll most likely be enhanced on the actual book with a fifth ink such as dayglo green, like on the regular magazine.

Here are the details of the book from the publisher's info:

The Toxic Annual 2015 is a celebration of all the biggest and best boys brands. From Skylanders to Lego, Minions to Mario and FIFA to Nerf amongst others, it brings together great stories, activities, posters, facts and fun in one action-packed annual. As with the highly popular Toxic Magazine, the Toxic Annual features all the top news and info about gaming, films, TV shows and toys together with additional fun and engaging content to really get boys reading and laughing.

All in all, the Toxic Annual 2015 is a jam-packed end-of-year compendium of all the coolest brands. It's filled with jokes, stories, and all the top things to know, all delivered with the humorous attitude which makes Toxic so popular!

Hardcover: 72 pages

Publisher: Egmont (31 July 2014)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 1405272112

ISBN-13: 978-1405272117

Product Dimensions: 19.8 x 12.8 x 2.1 cm

You can pre-order a copy from Amazon.